Fluid injecting device



March Z, 1954 J. Anden-DN- ETAL FLUID INJECTING DEVICE:y

Filed July 17, 195ol 7. 9 oa awww x IIIII sk J. /F 4 34 BY THE/ATTORNEYS.

HAR/W5, /f/i FOSTER HAR/W5 Y Patented Mar. 2, 1954 FLUID INJECTING.DEVICE J oycev A. Gordon and IsraelK ArGorin, Los. Angeles, Calit.

Application J olv 1'1, 1950s Serial No.v 17%,162

Qur invention relates in general. to fluidi inject--Y irisv devices,and. more particularln to e. device which nds particular utility ininjecting Curing, or tenderizine liquids into. meats of various ivnes,although. it may in many instances be. employed for. injectingother'iiuids, into other Substances;

It. is. of course, common practice to cure such meats asv bacon and hamby injecting Suitable cining liquids thereintc, and i inject inte othermeats. liquids which have a tenderizins eil-ect Such liquids, arecustomarily injected by ineens ci a hollow' c1' tubular injectionneedle,A Similar i0` n hvccdermic needle, which is connected te e numein luidV QQiillnurljilationV With the outlet ofA the pump. Heretefore,such fluid injecting devices have consisted of a sing- 1e pump havingone o1- xnore injection needles connected to the outlet the1eof, the useof a, plurality of injection needles connected to the pump, of` such aconventional de,- vice being preferable to reduce the excessive timerequired to. treat apiece ofv meat with a single needle. However, `theuse of a plurality ofiinjeetion needles connected to the outlet of thepump has a serious disadvantage in that uneven distribution of' the`liquid being injected may result. In other words, since meat is nevercompletely uniform in texture and/ or density; the'resistance to liquidpenetration offered by the meat f requently varies widely from needle toneedle with the result that, in some instances, substantially all of theliquid, discharged byA the pump will be injected into the meat by one ortwo of the needles 'and substar-itially none of the liquid will beinjected into the meat by the remaining needles.

A primary object or the present invention is to prov-idea -uid injectingdevice havinga plurality of injection needlesand havingmeans forinject'- ing substantially equal amounts of iii-iid through all of" thekneedlesirrespective of the texture and/or density of the mea-t.

More particularly, an important object ofthe invention is to providesuch? a' uid injecting device having a separate pump for each needle andhavingT means for actuating the pumps in unison so. as; td dischargeequal: amountsr of liquidthrough all' of' the. needles. v I

Another object is. to provideA aconimon fluid supply means for all ofthev pumps by disposing the pumps within a. flu-id: suppl-y chamberWiththe inletsof the pumps 'in' fluid. communication with the' chamber.

Another objectv is to prov-ide such a huidiinjecting device whereintheiuidr suipplyl chamber is definedby upper,v lower and sidewalls or ahousinev vo the .device and wherein the;y pumpsare 14 Glaims. (Cl.SSL-257) carried byv the lower Wall of the housing and exc tend upwardlyinto the flu-id suppl-y chamber with their inlets in :iii-iidcommunication with. the chamben the lower Wall of the housing being des1tachably connected to the side walls thereof so that the pumps ymay beremoved. readily.

Anotherolajeet of the invention is to provide suchy a flu-id injectingdev-ice wherein each pump includes a cylinder having therein a. pistonApro.-4 vided; with an axial stern projecting upwardly' its cylinderintothe fluid suppl-y chamber, and' to provide a fluid injecting devicehavingactuating incansoperatively connected to the. stems. of' saidpistons foroperating said pumps in unison to. discharge substantiallyequal amounts of uid through the injection needles connected toj theoutlets of the pump. It is also an object to provide an injector devicehaving a pump. extendingl upward into. a.. liquid chamber and immersedin said liquid whereby to receivev a liquid charge into the: upper endo;the cylinder by suction and bya head of'liquigdin the chamber.

Another object is to. provide a reciprocable ac.,- tuat-ing means whichcarries valve; means for opening a vent passage into the fluid: supplychamber on each discharge stroke ,oli the. pumps so as to.- ademt airinto the supply chamber to, re1- pl'ace the; liquid discharged'y hy)the; pumps,...

Another obieet is, to provide aldiustalole..y stop means for limitingLthe stroke. or the actuating means-so;- that; the amounts of4 fluiddischarged-hy therpumpsmay he varied.

A further object. to provide an. actuating means havingndicia thereonvonnosite'anyf desired one or which the adjustable stop. means may: hepositioned so; that. the usero the .device may .readlinel predeterminethe amounts, of fluid tobe discharced by the pum-nc..

The. foregoing, c cts advantages ofi our lnventionstoecthei var ,usothcrchiects and advantages thereof: eccome apparent; .man he attained withthe cmnlarvembodiment ci theI intention lll stra 1 e accompanying r'ncand descr ed in de .f

ine-to the drawing: .Ei l a vertical .Sec jedi-11g? the hr f2: ef his-=1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view duplicating ax portionof; l, but illustrating elements; of the. devicein differenty operatingpo sitions.; c

Eig. 4s is; an. enlarged. fragmentary sectional device 4 'A a t hsv (Dview of a piston of the invention removed from its cylinder;

Figs. and 6 are enlarged, fragmentary sectional views illustrating apiston of the invention in its cylinder during the discharge and returnstrokes, respectively, of the piston; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of an alternative embodiment ofthe invention.

Referring Vparticularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the fluidinjecting device of the invention includes a housing having upper andlower walls II and I2 and a cylindrical side wall I3 which dene a fluidsupply chamber I4, the upper and lower walls II and I2 respectively'compris-l ing plates I5 and I6 which are connected to the side wall I3by clamping rings I1 and IS, respectively, threaded onto the side wall.Suitable gaskets I3 and 26 respectively disposed between the plates I5and I6 and the side wall I3 prevent leakage from the fluid supplychamber I4.

` The uid injecting device includes a'plurality of hollow or tubularinjection needles 25 which are generally similar to hypodermic needlesand which are provided with fluid passages 23, respectively,therethrough. The outer ends of the passages 26 are directedtransversely to the needle axes so that plugging of the openings by themeat to be treated is avoided as the needles are forced into the meat.In the particular construction illustrated, four of the injectionneedles 25 Vare shown, although it will be understood that the devicemay be provided with any desired number of. such needles. The needles 25depend from the lower wall i2 of the device and are provided at theirupper ends with heads 21 which are threaded into suitable bores 28through the plate I6.

Extending upwardly into the fluid supply chamber I4 from the lower wallI2 of the device are pumps 3D of the reciprocating type, there be- -ingone such pump for each of the injection needles 25. Each pump 38 isprovided with an in- 'let 3I which communicates with the iiuid supplylchamber I4, and is provided with an outlet 32 Y 4which communicateswith'the passage 26 through the corresponding injection needle 25. Eachpump 3B comprises a cylinder 33 having a 'bore 34 therethrough andhaving a counterbore 35 at its .lower end, thevhead .21 of thecorresponding in- :jection needle 25 being threaded into the counterbore35 to secure the cylinder 33 tothe plate I6 of thelower wall I2. Aduid-tight seal between Leach. cylinder 33 and the plate I6 is providedby a gasket orwasher 36 disposed between the lower "end of the cylinderand the plate I5 and encircling the -head 21 of the correspondinginjectionl needle 25. The outlet 32 of each pump 30 takes the form of anorifice through an oriiice the base of thecounterbore 35 in the cylinder33.

'aTheoutlet 32 of each pump 30 is controlled by an outwardly openingcheck valve 38 which is biased against the lower? surface otthecorresponding orifice plate 31 by a compression spring 39 seated at oneend against the check valve 38 and at its other end against the base ofa counterbore 40 in the head 21 of the corresponding ina similarmaterial. The liner of each pump sponding orifice plate 31 by a washer46, preferplate 31 in the particular construction illustrated, theorifice-platebeing clamped between the head .21 of the correspondinginjection needle 25 and 4issealed at its lower endA` relative vto thecorrehaving a stem 53 which projects axially upwardly into the fluidsupply chamber I4 through the corresponding stem guide 41. Each stem 53is provided at its upper end with a peened head 54. or the like, againstwhich is seated a washer 55, a compression spring 56 encircling the stem53 andA being seated at its upper end against the washer 55 and at itslower end against the corresponding piston stem guide 41. The springs 56bias the pistons 52 upwardly ltoward the upper ends of their strokes toeffect the return strokes of the pistons.

The fluid injecting device of the invention includes actuating means 60for operating the pumps 3l) in unison, vthe actuating means including anactuator 6I, exemplified as a circular plate which is adapted to engagethe heads 54 at the upper ends of all of the piston stems 53. Theactuating means 66 also includes a stem 62 which projects upwardlythrough a bore 63 in the upper plate I5, the actuator 6l being connectedto the lower end of the stem E2 by a screw 54, or the like. The diameterof the bore `|53 exceeds that of the stem 52 so as to providetherebetween a clearance which serves as a vent passage for admittingair into the uid supply chamber I4 to replace :duid discharged by thepumps 3U, the bore 63 being i'ormed in a boss 65 on the plate I5, Theactuating means 60 carries inwardly open ing check valve means B6 forpreventing leakage from the fluid supply chamber I4 through the ventpassage when the device. is not in use, the check valve means 63comprising a valve element 61 which encircles the screw E4 and which isclamped between the lower end of the stem H6l .and the actuator 6I. Aswill be apparent, the valve element 61 seats on the lower surface of theupper plate I5 to close the vent passage.

The actuating means 60 and the check valve means 66 carried thereby arebiased upwardly .so as to disengage the actuator BI from the pistonstems 53 and to seat the valve element 61 jby a compression spring 1liwhich encircles the -stem 62 of the actuating means and which is .seatedat its lower end against the boss 65. The

spring 1B is seated at its upper end against a .flock nut 1l threaded onthe stem B2, a handle 12 being threaded onto the stem 62 above the locknut 1I andthe handle 12 on the stem '62, the user of the fluid injectingdevice may readily vary the amounts of fluid discharged by the pumps 30,the lock nut 1I and handle 12 thus forming an adjustable stop means ofth'e invention, which is van important feature.

As best shown in Fig. 1the stem 62 of the ,actuating means 60 isprovided with a at .13

which carries indicia 14, suitable reference chareinem actors, such asthe numerals "14 2, and .so *lor-th, appearing opposite the respectiveindicia. The reference charaoters 4opposite 'the indicia l# may:designate the amount Aof fluid :discharged by each pump '30 per stroke,may designate the amount of Vlil-uid discharged by all pumps .perstroke, for 'the like.

Considering 'the operation 'of the .miidzinecting device of theinvention', 'the user thereof .first -iills the fluid supply chamber Mwith the desired liquid, which liquid may, lfor example, be designed totenderize meat. For this purpose, vthe upper 'plate 1li .is 'providedwith a removable nll'er :plug threaded into :a 4'bore f1.6 therein. 0r,the ring Il may be removed together with the plate fk5 for the purposeof It 'will be noted that when the iluid supply chamber il has vvbeennil-led with the desired liquid, the compression spring It maintains thevalve element f'61 :seated so 'las to close the vent vpassage betweenthe stem f6.2 and the wall of 'the bore '63 in the upper plate .i5except while the actuating means 0 is be*- ing depressed. Similarly, thecompression springs f3! close the check Avalves 38 jcontrolling theoutlets '32 ci the pumps Thus, the #operator 'may lay the device on itsside when not in use with fout any danger -vor leakage.

Assuming thatthe fluid supply chamber -I'4`has 'been lil-led with liquidthe `manner herein before discussed, the operator `of fthe deviceinserts lthe injection needles '25 into the piece of meat, or other'substance vto be treated, and Adepre'sses the handle '12 Ione er 'moretimes fto pump one or more shots vfof liquid into `the meat '-throughl'each injection needle, depending upon '1t-he amount oi liquid requiredfto eltect the defsired treatment. 'The bottom wall i12 serves as Istopmeans to limit penetration -(of the needles in 'this embodiment. As willbe apparent, each return stroke of Ythe actuating vmeans `lr(il) iseiiected by the spring '10, it merely being necessary for the operatorto depress the 'handle T12 once -for each shotf 'Willalso be apparent,the position 'of the handle 'l2 and the 'lock nut `'lfl on the fs'tem562 determines the amount of Aliquid '-inj eo'ted 'per shot 4the amountper lshot 'being 'readily predeterminable by lsuitably positioning thelock 'nut 71| and the handle '12 rrelative rte the indicia 74. willfurther be apparent, V'each time the handle 'l2 is depressed in 'theforegoing manner, thevalve element 61 unseats to "admit the il-uidsupply chamber Il sufficient fair v'to replace 'the discharged by the4pumps :30.

Considering lthe operation fof the pumps ISG, the

actuator i'Bi engages the upper ends of the piston stems 53 each timethe handle l2 is depressed and vmoves Lall fof 'the pistons "52downwardly in unison and through substantially 'the same distances 'sokthat the amounts `of liquid discharged by the various pumps are allequal, irrespective of variations in the penetrability of the meat, -orother substance, into which the injection neefd1es25 are inserted,ywhich is an important feature of the invention. As will be apparent,'as each piston 'moves downwardly, it first moves `across the -inlet -3lin its cylinder 3-3 and thereafter displaces liquid 'from thereben'eaththrough 'the corresponding outlet 3i and check valve 39 .and through'the 'correspond-ing linjection needle 25 intoithe'meat orother-"substance being treated,

vthe ncrrespon'ding check 'valve 3'8 opening to permit such displacementA'of .liquid by the piston. Ashereinbefore pointed out, the amount ofliquid displaced by each piston :depends lupon 'the position fof theadiustabfle lstop provided bythe dhandle J2 and the flock :nut il., theamount displaced being the same for each 'pump 130. When :the operatorreleases the handle l2 after each discharge stroke, :so that the spring1:0 re- `turns .the actuator 16| to the upper end of its stroke, theoompression springs :56 associated with the pistons -52 :return the.respective pis tons to fthe upper lends of their strokes. Izlpon:completion of 'the injection stroke, the correv- .fsporrding checkvalve 3B closes, fso that, sassoon :as the return strokefof each piston5:2 v-conmren-oes, the piston .tends to create a vacuum .its cylinder.Consequently, as soon as v"the piston iunports 'the Lcorresponding inlet31 the lpressure differential between the chamber I4 and the in terliorof :the cylinder results in immediate llfirxg voff Athe cylinder :forthe .next pumping stroke, which is v'an important feature.

.In order to 'produce the vacuum discussed .in the preceding :paragraph:during 'the return stroke of each piston 52, it Ais desirable that thepiston make a substantially :fluid-tight seal 'with .respect to itsliner 4'5. Referring particularly to Fig. 4, we LAprefer to accomplishthis by employing as each :piston 52 a :resilient amrularpiston :element`of rubber, or other material `of :a rubber-like nature, the pistonelement 180 being .mounted :on a core f8! :between two flanges 82 in the.particular construction illustrated. core '8| is Asuitably secured tothe corresponding piston 'stem 53. The external diameter :of the piston.element B is greater than the .internal diameter of the lcorrespondingliner d5 and the circumferential wall of the piston element 'is :ooncaveintermediate the -ends of :the element, as seen in Fig. 4. Consequently,ywhen the apis'tonis inserted into its liner, the piston element Bil .iscompressed radially 'to insure duid-tight engage- .lnent `with the linerand is 'expanded :axially to increase the area .of Contact. The 'action,of resilient piston element at during the pumping and return strokes is.illustrated in Figs. '5 and S, respectively, the piston flexingupwardly during the pumping stroke and flexing downwardly durin-g `thereturn stroke.

Referring to Fig. illustrated therein is ian alternative stop means forlimiting insertion of the .needles 25 into the meat, Vcomprising a discor ,plate @il .having holes Si through which Athe .needles extend, theplate 9S `bein-g `seated :on the head of ascrew 92 threaded through theplate 2k6 and retained by a lock nut 9d, a gasket 94 is :disposed underthe lock nut. Springs 95 'encircling the needles .215 .hold the plate.im seated Von the head of the screw 92, such springs being sutilcientlyheavy to prevent movement of the plate 9S upwardly under forces normallyapplied @to the device. `As will be apparent, the depth 'of penetrationof the .needles 25 .may readily be varied with this construction.

Although we have disclosed an exemplary embodiment of our invention forpurposes .fof .il-.lustration; it will be understood that various`changes, modifications and substitutions may he incorporated thereinwithout departing .Tromithe spirit of the invention.

We claim as lour invention:

.1. In a lfluid Ainjecting device., the combination of: a housing havingupper., lower and side walls which dene a supply chamber' :for a iluid;a plurality of pumps each having an inlet and :an outlet, said pumpsbeing carried by said lower wall'of said .housing Aand extendingupwardly into said .chamber with said inlets in iluid communication withAsaidHch-amber, each of said lpumps including a cylinder having thereina piston provided with an axial stem projecting upwardly from saidcylinder into said chamber; a plurality of tubular injection needlesrespectively connected to said pumps in fluid communication with saidoutlets thereof and extending downwardly from said lower wall of saidhousing; a reciprocable actuator in said chamber and adapted to engagethe upper ends of said stems of said pistons for operating said pumps inunison; a stem connected to said actuator and projecting upwardlythrough an opening in said upper wall of said housing; and a valveelement connected to said actuator so as to be reciprocable therewith,said valve element being adapted to engage the lower surface of saidupper wall of said housing adjacent said opening therethrough, saidopening being larger than said actuator stem to provide between the wallof said opening and said actuator stem a vent passage for said chamber,said valve element closing said vent passage when it seats on said lowersurface of said upper wall of said housing.

2. A fluid injecting device according to claim l including resilientmeans for biasing said valve element into engagement with said lowersurface of said upper wall of said housing.

' 3. In a fluid injecting device, the combination of: a housing havingupper, lower and side walls which deiine a uid supply chamber; a pumpcarried by said lower wall of said housing and extending upwardly intosaid chamber, said pump 'having an inlet which communicates with saidchamber and having an outlet, said pump including a cylinder havingtherein a piston prol vided with an axial stem which extends upwardlyfrom said cylinder into said chamber; a tubular injection needleconnected to the lower end of said pump in fluid communication with saidoutlet; a reciprocable actuator in said chamber and adapted to engagethe upper end of said stem of said piston, said actuator having a stemwhich extends upwardly from said chamber through an opening in saidupper wall of said housing, said opening being larger than said stem onsaid actuator so as to provide a vent passage "for said chamber; andvalve means carried by said actuator for opening said vent passage inresponse to downward movement of said actuator.

4. A device as in claim 3 wherein said reciprocable actuator is normallyspaced above said stem of said piston and means is provided on saidactuator stem to return said actuator to said elevated position andcause said valve means to close said vent passage.

5. A fluid injecting device as dened in claim 3 wherein said valve meansincludes a valve element carried by said actuator and adapted to seatagainst the lower surface of said upper wall of said housing adjacentsaid opening therethrough when said actuator is at the upper end of itsstroke.

6. In a iiuid injecting device, the combination of: a housing havingupper, lower and side walls `which deline a fluid supply chamber; a pumpcarried by said lower wall of said housing and extending upwardly intosaid chamber, said pump `being wholly disposed within said chamber andsaid cylinder'into said chamber; a tubular injection needle connected tothe lower end of said pump in fluid communication with said outlet; areciprocable actuator in said chamber and normally spaced above andadapted to engage the upper end of said stem of said piston, saidactuator having a stem which extends upwardly from said chamber throughan opening in said upper wall of said housing; spring means to returnsaid piston stem; spring means to return said actuator stem; andadjustable stop means threaded exteriorly on said stem of said actuatorand engageable with an outer portion of said upper wall of said housingfor limiting displacement of said actuator so as to limit displacementof said piston of said pump, thereby limiting the amount of fluiddisplaced by said pump.

'7. A fluid injecting device as defined in claim 6 wherein said stem ofsaid actuator is provided with indicia thereon corresponding todifferent uid displacements by said piston, said adjustable stop meansbeing registrable with any desired one of said indicia.

8. In combination in a huid-injecting device: a portable, invertiblehousing having upper, lower and side walls enclosing a supply chamber toretain liquid without loss on inversion; sealing ller means in one ofsaid walls; pump cylinders carried by said lower wall and positioned insaid chamber, said cylinders having inlets in their upper portions forcommunication with said chamber and having outlets leading through saidlower wall; injection needles connected with said lower wall and saidoutlets and extending outside said lower wall; check valve means at saidoutlets providing for passage of liquid out through said needles;pistons in said pump cylinders movable from positions above said inletsto positions adjacent said outlets to expel liquid through said checkvalve means and said needles; spring-controlled plunger means on saidpistons and extending into said chamber; actuating and manipulatingmeans reciprocably carried by said upper wall and including a stemVextending through said upper wall, a handle on the outer end of saidstem, spring means urging said stem and handle outward, and means on theinner end of said stem movable into engagement with said plunger meansto actuate the pistons into said cylinders upon depression of saidhandle; and means for admitting air into said chamber upon operation ofsaid actuating means.

9. A combination as in claim 8 including adjusting means carried by saidhandle and stem to regulate the stroke thereof and of said plunger meansand pistons.

l0. A combination as in claim 8 wherein said air-admitting meansincludes check valve means carried by said stem and engageable withclosure means on said upper wall.

ll. A combination as in claim S wherein said actuating means includesmeans within said chamber normally spaced from said plunger means foractuation thereof.

l2. In a portable liquid-injecting hand-tool. the combination of: aninvertible housing having upper, lower and side walls defining a supplychamber for enclosing and retaining a body of injectable liquid; aplurality of pumps, each of which includes a cylinder carried by saidlower wall and wholly disposed in said chamber in upstanding relation,each cylinder having an inlet and a valve-controlled outlet; a pistonmounted in each cylinder for reciprocation therein to uncover said inletto admit liquid and to cover said inlet and eject liquid through saidvalve-controlled outlet; a plurality of tubular injection needlesrespectively connected to said cylinders in fluid-communication withsaid outlets, said needles extending downward from said lower wall ofsaid housing; upstanding stems connected with said pistons andprojecting upward from the respective cylinders into said chamber;spring means within said chamber and respectively connected with saidpiston stems for returning said pistons to elevated position; actuatormeans disposed above said piston stems in normally spaced relation withrespect thereto; and reciprocable actuating stem means connected withsaid actuator means and mounted in and extending upwardly through saidupper wall of said housing for engagement to depress said actuator meansand said piston stems, said stem means and said piston stems havingmeans to return them to elevated position.

13. A combination as in claim 12 wherein said means to return said stemmeans and piston stems constitutes spring means carried by said pistonstems and spring means mounted on said stem means externally of saidupper wall.

10 14. A combination as in claim 13 including means adjustably securedupon said stem means externally of said upper wall to regulate thestroke of said stem means.

JOYCE A. GORDON. ISRAEL A. GORIN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 474,965 McCormick May 17, 1892 751,555 Prescott Feb. 9, 19041,192,596 Albrecht July 25, 1916 1,271,490 Servatius July 2, 19181,637,951 Marchione Aug. 2, 1927 1,641,976 Lawrent Sept. 13, 19272,156,023 McKay Apr. 25, 1939 2,183,370 Selitzky Dec. 17, 1939 2,361,126Klein Oct. 24, 1944 2,552,195 Lopata May 8, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 123,230 Great Britain Feb. 20, 1919

